Bib



July 11, 1967 J. F. FARBER ETAL BIB Filed July 15, 1965 INVENTORS. JAMES FREDERICK FARBER CLIFFORD JOHN ROBERTS,JR.

MARION DONOVAN WILLIAM S WESSON ATTORN Y United States Patent This invention relates to a bib and, more particularly, to a new and improved type of disposable bib made chiefly of soft, flexible, absorbent material.

The bib of the present invention serves not only to perform the function of a protective covering for the chest portion of an infant during eating, but also as an article for wiping the babys face after eating. It is constructed of an inexpensive, soft, flexible, absorbent sheet material which is waterproof and strong, yet pleasantly soft and non-irritating to the touch. The increased absorbency of the material used in the bib of the present invention allows a greater amount of spillage to be picked up and retained on the bib. Furthermore, the bib of the present invention can be used as a wiping article or towel to wipe up, absorb and removably retain the excess food from the childs face, chair and general eating area upon completing a meal.

The present invention is related to and constitutes a bib which is formed from a sheet of soft, flexible, absorbent material substantially without any waste material being created. The bib of the invention may be stored flat and quickly folded into position for use. A principal feature of this invention is that the design facilitates the application and use of coacting adhesive as a fastening means and makes it possible to apply the adhesive required by one operation and on one surface or side of the bib. When it is then folded into position for use, the portions of the bib having adhesive thereon will cooperatively match together and adhere the rolled collar ends or neck tab portions to each other in the desired manner. This type of construction reduces the cost of manufacture and results in a useful bib which is simpler, more comfortable and more eflicient than previous bibs.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved type of bib construction.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bib formed from a single sheet and incorporating a new fastening technique which facilitates application of the bib to a child.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bib formed from a single sheet of laminated material and incorporating a new fastening technique and construction which facilitates manufacture, storage, and use of the bib.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof, taken with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a bib embodying the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective View of the bib showing the manner in which fastening is accomplished,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a bib in position upon a wearer, and

FIGURE 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one type of sheet material forming the bib in FIGURE 1, illustrating in exaggerated scale the construction of the material.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a sheet of surface absorbent material having a rectangular shape, the lower end or margin 11 of which is folded over onto the front side to form a pocket designated as 3,329,969 Patented July 11, 1967 12. This pocket serves to catch particles of food which are not caught or adhered to the portion of the bibs surface above the pocket. It should be understood that a rectangular or square shape is preferred as this eliminates waste during cutting and is easier to manufacture. However, other shapes might be successfully employed, such as a longitudinally tapered trapezoid. The folded over portion 11 is adhered to side margins 13' and 14 of sheet 10 by adhesive 15.

The bib construction of the invention provides for alteration of sheet 10 so as to form substantially the complete bib, as by provision for a neck opening and collar portions or flaps to encircle the neck of a wearer. Thus, at the opposite end of sheet 10, a plurality of aligned perforations extend in a line 16 passing through side margin 17 at a point 18 equidistant between the adjacent side edges 13 and 14 through the centroid of the sheet 10. The length of line 16 is less than one half of the greatest dimension of sheet 10. Such perforations are preferably in the form of short slits 19 aligned longitudinally so as to leave adjacent portions 20 and 21 of the sheet 10 attached by narrow expanses 22 of material. The length of individual slits 19 may preferably be from Me" to /2", although, of course, a variety of other patterns of perforations may also be employed with success. For example, the line of perforations may be replaced by other forms of severance such as continuous slit without any interconnecting portions 22 remaining along its length. The perforations are preferred since the residual attachment of portions 20 and 21 by narrow expanses 22 of material forming sheet 10 provides support to the bib during subsequent steps of manufacture as well as during storage until use. Such support and stability of the sheet is especially desirable during application of the adhesive fastening means.

Line of perforations 16 serves to provide a neck opening and to form collar portions or flaps for encircling the neck of a wearer in use. Yet for storage and manufacturing purposes, the bib of the invention can be kept fiat or in planar form which is one of the objects of the invention.

In accordance with another object of this invention, adhesive is applied at portions 23 and 24, these portions being substantially within the area of the corners of sheet 10 at the end of sheet 10 having line 16 of perforations.

This construction and the application of adhesive to portions 23 and 24 makes possible a simple manufacturing scheme since the patches or areas of adhesive are created by a single operation and on one side or surface of the sheet 10. Yet, when the bib is subsequently folded by a simple operation into the form adapted for use by a wearer, the portions 23 and 24 will be in cooperating position.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, one adhesive area 23 is located within the section of -a first circle having its center located at a corner of sheet 10 at the end of sheet 10 having line 16 of perforations and between radii of the circle, one radius being parallel to line 16 and coinciding with side margin 13 and the other radius aligned with a line 25 between the corner comprising the center of the first circle and the innermost extending perforation of line 16. The other adhesive area 24 is located within the sector of a second circle having its center located at a corner at the end of sheet 10 having line 16 of perforations and between radii of the circle, one radius being perpendicular to line 16 and coinciding with margin 17, and the other radius aligned with a line 26 between the corner comprising the center of the second circle and the innermost extending perforations of line 16.

The portions 20 and 21 adjacent line 16 are arranged to be folded back along diagonal lines 25 and 26, extend- Philadelphia, Pa.

ing from the innermost perforation of line 16 to the corners at the end of sheet 10 having line 16 of perforations and spaced from line 16 and into contact with the back side of sheet 10. This forms a smooth folded inner edge 27, shown in FIGURE 2, which, in position, will contact the wearers neck. The use of a double thickness of material in the critical strength area of the ties or apron portions 20 and 21 provides a rolled collar 27 giving added strength and comforting support which is very important in a disposable item of this nature, especially when used by active yet tender children. It can be seen that, as

shown in detail in FIGURE 2, when the bib is folded in this manner, the two adhesive areas 23 and 24 may be :the corners of sheet 10 at the end having line 16 of perforations, the areas 23 and 24 are located on respectively opposite sides of each respective diagonal fold line 25 and 26 so that at least one area 23 or'24 will be located on one of the portions of apron portions 20 or 21 which is folded back into contact with the back side of sheet 10. As shown in FIGURE 1, area 24 is positioned on the portion folded back.

' This results in adhesive coated areas 23 and 24 which are adjacent and face each other when the tabs or neck flaps are folded around a wearers neck. The areas 23 and 24 can then be pressed together into adhesive contact 7 as shown in FIGURE 2.

One adhesive successfully employed in areas 23 and 24 is a self-sealing or cohesive type of adhesive such as Paranol F 6399 manufactured by Para-Chem, Inc. of It .is basically a natural rubber latex self-sealing adhesive. There are many other types of coacting and other adhesive products Which may be employed with equal success, however, and some types of adhesives could be applied to only one tab or area 24 if they were of the type which would stick to the outer layer of cellulosic tissue material forming sheet 10.

FIGURE 4 illustrates in detail the nature of construction of one type of sheet material 10 which is used to form a bib of the invention. There is shown a layer 29 of the thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene, between two adjacent layers 30 and 31 of paper, which is preferably creped cellulosic tissue.

' The cellulosic layers 30 and 31 provide a large amount of surface absorbency while the thermoplastic material supplies the necessary moistureproof characteristics for the sheet. Thus, the resulting sheet 10 has absorbent surfaces which serve to catch spilled food and liquid and retain it, yet is waterproof in its interior to prevent such spillage from penetrating sheet 10 and soiling the child or his garments. These materials are bonded together at a plurality of discreet impressed bonding areas 32 which areformed into the layers by a combination of heat and pressure. The thermoplastic material in these discreet areas 32 is slightly melted and pressed into the cellulosic material, forming a'solid bond upon cooling. The thermoplastic sheet will locally flow into more than one layer of tissue depending on the thicknessof the sheet 10 and the number of layers of tissue 30 or 31 employed. The process is, therefore,

sheets of material having a plurality of layers of creped tissue on either one or both sides of a sheet of thermoplastic material. Indeed, it has been found that a very good bond is obtained between a plurality of layers of cellulosic tissue without employing any layer of thermoplastic material, when heat and pressure are applied in capable of being employed'to form 4 V the manner described below. Furthermore, if twoor more layers or thermoplastic material are employed either adjacent each other or distributed throughout the plurality of cellulosic tissue layers, excellent results are obtained and a a material having greater bulk, high absorbency, and

softness results.

The manner in which bonding occurs between adjacent ]ike character and possesses great strength as well as good softness and absorbency.

This material may be formed by running the abovesuperimposed layers of materials between two matching patterned rolls, which are preferably of hardened steel to resist wear and having a plurality of discrete projections from their surface at least one of the rolls being heated to a temperature suflicient to melt the thermoplastic material without creating suflicient flow to form holes or breaks therein. To form the material shown in FIGURE 4, the rolls are arranged so that projections from the surface of one roll are aligned to coincide with and pass adjacent to the respective projections of the other roll, when the rolls are revolved at the same speed and in the same direction. It will be apparent that other materials could be used for sheet 10. Also, sheet 10 could be constructed differently without losing all of the benefits and advantages of the invention. 7

"Materials other than polyethylene could be employed for the thermoplastic material layer, such as heat sealable vinyl resin film. Also, additional types of fibrous Webs could be employed other than the creped cellulosic tissue layers. Furthermore, bonding could be achieved in a different manner between the adjacent sheets themselves or with an interpositioned layer of thermoplastic material,

such as by adhesive, either entirely over the surface or in a I a pattern; I

It should also be clearly understood that various patterns might be employed for the layout of the discrete impressed areas of heat sealing upon the sheet. However, it has been found that a material constructed as shown in the drawings and having a pattern similar to that shown in FIGURE 1, that is, of small randomly positioned discreet dots, has increased flexibly and retains its softness and absorbency while providing a relatively large amount of strength. It has been found that impressed areas 32, as shown in FIGURE 1, comprising not more than about 25% of the area of the sheet 10 provide excellent absorbency and flexibility while retaining the required strength.

From the above description, it will be apparent that numerous modifications can be made in the preferred embodiment by one skilled without departing from the spirit of the invention;

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable bib comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of soft, flexible, absorbent material having length equal to less than one half of the long side dirnension of said sheet, portions of said sheet adjacent said line of severance being arranged to be folded into contact with the back of said sheet along fold lines diverging outwardly from the innermost extension of said line of.

severance to each respective corner at the end of said sheet containing said line of severance so as to form substantially triangular portions having a double thickness of sheet material, cooperative fastening means disposed adjacent the end of said sheet containing said line of severance and located on respectively opposite sides of each respective fold line so that after folding one fastening means will be located on said front side and the other fastening means will be located on said back side, whereby said bib may be retained about the neck of a wearer by attachment of said triangular portions adjacent their ends.

2. A disposable bib according to claim 1, in which said sheet is impermeable.

3. A disposable bib according to claim 1, in which said sheet comprises two layers of creped cellulosic tissue, one layer being separated from the other layer by a single layer of polyethylene.

4. A disposable bib according to claim 1, in which said line of severance comprises a plurality of aligned perforations.

5. A disposable bib according to claim 4, in which said aligned perforations comprise short slits from about to /z", in length.

6. A disposable bib according to claim 1, in which said cooperating fastening means comprise an adhesive.

7. A disposable bib according to claim 1, in which the end of said sheet opposite said slit has the margin upturned and folded back on the front side, said margin being adhered to the side margins of said sheet so as to form a narrow pocket having a broad upwardly directed opening.

8. A disposable bib according to claim 7, in which said cooperating fastening means comprise areas of said sectors treated with a self-sealing adhesive.

9. A disposable bib comprising an impermeable rectangular sheet of soft, flexible, absorbent material having a front side and a back side, said sheet having a plurality of spaced perforations cut through said sheet and arranged in a line passing through one short side margin of said sheet at a point substantially equidistant from adjacent side margins and passing substantially through the centroid of said sheet, said line of perforations extending inwardly from said one side margin and having a length equal to less than one half of the long side dimension of said sheet and a pair of cooperating fastening means, said fastening means being located substantially within a respective sector in each one of first and second circles having their centers located at opposite corners of said sheet side margins which said line of perforations intersects and a radius of less than the distance between each of said corners and said line of perforations, one of said sectors comprising the area bounded by two radii of said first circle, one radius parallel to said line of perforations and the other radius aligned with a line between the corner comprising the center of said first circle and the innermost extending of said perforations, the other sector comprising the area bounded by two radii of said second circuit, one radius perpendicular to said line of perforations and the other radius aligned with a line between said corner and the innermost extending of said perforations.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,201,701 10/1916 Crane 2-49 X 1,991,025 2/ 1935 Medalis 2-48 X 2,016,079 10/ 1935 Dauel et al. 2-50 2,029,417 2/ 1936 Forster 250 2,425,961 8/ 1947 Shattuck 2-49 2,900,640 8/1959 Haydu 249 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. A. R. GUEST, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DISPOSABLE BIB COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR SHEET OF SOFT, FLEXIBLE, ABSORBENT MATERIAL HAVING A FRONT SIDE AND A BACK SIDE, SAID SHEET HAVING A LINE OF SEVERANCE ALONG A LINE PASSING THROUGH ONE SHORT SIDE MARGIN THEREOF AT A POINT SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIDISTANT FROM ADJACENT SIDE MARGINS AND PASSING SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGH THE CENTROID OF SAID SHEET, SAID LINE OF SEVERANCE EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAID ONE SIDE MARGIN AND HAVING A LENGTH EQUAL TO LESS THAN ONE HALF OF THE LONG SIDE DIMENSION OF SAID SHEET, PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET ADJACENT SAID LINE OF SEVERANCE BEING ARRANGED TO BE FOLDED INTO CONTACT WITH THE BACK OF SAID SHEET ALONG FOLD LINES DIVERGING OUTWARDLY FROM THE INNERMOST EXTENSION OF SAID LINE OF SEVERANCE TO EACH RESPECTIVE CORNER AT THE END OF SAID SHEET CONTAINING SAID LINE OF SEVERANCE SO AS TO FORM SUBSTANTIALLY TRIANGULAR PORTIONS HAVING A DOUBLE THICKNESS OF SHEET MATERIAL, COOPERATIVE FASTENING MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE END OF SAID SHEET CONTAINING SAID LINE OF SEVERANCE AND LOCATED ON RESPECTIVELY OPPOSITE SIDES OF EACH RESPECTIVE FOLD LINE SO THAT AFTER FOLDING ONE FASTENING MEANS WILL BE LOCATED ON SAID FRONT SIDE AND THE OTHER FASTENING MEANS WILL BE LOCATED ON SAID BACK SIDE, WHEREBY SAID BIB MAY BE RETAINED ABOUT THE NECK OF A WEARER BY ATTACHMENT OF SAID TRIANGULAR PORTIONS ADJACENT THEIR ENDS. 